**Ability to track the spacecraft is available weeks after the launch takes place.

About the Heritage Flight

For someone who always loved space, longed to journey among the stars, or simply found peace and tranquility in the evening sky, orbiting Earth aboard a Celestis spacecraft is a truly befitting way to celebrate and remember a life.

Join families from around the world at Cape Canaveral, Florida for the ultimate mission of purpose – the Celestis Heritage Flight.

Like previous missions, the Heritage Flight - Celestis’ 7th Earth Orbit Service mission - is expected to be sold out well in advance.

Contact us today and ensure your loved one's participation in this mission!

Reservations close January 31, 2017.

Earth Orbit Service #7

Celestis Memorial Spaceflight: #16

Mission Name: Heritage Flight

Launch Location: Cape Canaveral, FL

Launch Date: Q3 2017

Launch Experience: Cape Canaveral

Celestis memorial space launches bring together people from all over the world for a shared commemorative event. The chance to share stories about a loved one on board, to make new friends, and to witness – often for the first time – the power and grandeur of a launch into space is an experience you will cherish for years.

These special memories and lifelong connections can be a great comfort to loved ones during a time of loss and grief.

Memorial Service

Attend the Heritage Flight memorial service, an event that brings together people from all over the world who share thoughts and remembrances of the loved ones on board.

Launch Pad Tour

Up close tour of the launch complex and rocket on the launch pad for a final fare well. Visit of the Kennedy Space Center

Launch Day

"Three, two, one, we have liftoff!" Experience the power and emotion of liftoff as the rocket launches, carrying aboard your loved one aboard.

Surrey Satellite Technology

The Heritage Flight will be hosted aboard the OTB (Orbital Test Bed) satellite, now undergoing final construction and testing at the Surrey Satellite US facility in Englewood, Colorado. OTB will orbit the Earth for at least five years and may be tracked on this website, joining two other Celestis spacecraft currently orbiting the planet.

On May 16, 2016 the first group of participants' capsules was integrated (attached) aboard the satellite, well before it is delivered to the launch site.

Celestis staff and Surrey engineers posing next to the OTB. Image credit:
Surrey Satellite Technology US

Closeup of a Surrey engineer working on the OTB spacecraft. The arrows designate the device on board the satellite where Celestis capsules and modules are located. Image credit:
Surrey Satellite Technology US

Surrey engineer adheres Heritage Flight participants to a module which will be integrated into OTB. Image credit:
Surrey Satellite Technology US

Closeup of Celestis capsules and modules in the device integrated into the OTB. Image credit:
Surrey Satellite Technology US

Engineer working on OTB spacecraft. Image credit:
Jonathan Castner

Another engineer working on OTB spacecraft. Image credit:
Jonathan Castner

What People Are Saying

I cannot express how thrilled my family is about the launch. It is truly a wonderful day. We watched from our homes but we celebrated with the entire Celestis and New Frontier family. Thank you, a million times over, for this opportunity. This was the only idea about which Dad showed any enthusiasm as we talked with him about his memorial service - and oh, the enthusiasm he had for this.

Katherine Stewart

I just received the DVD of the New Frontier Flight. It was beautiful and brought me to tears! Not only was the first part of the launch at night beautiful but the dedication to all the 'astronauts' that took their final voyage was inspiring! So many wonderful sendoffs for so many different people from all walks of life. I felt like I was actually there with everyone. Just beautiful!

Patrick Dirlam

This has been soooooooo much fun! I'm so glad my father was able to be a part of this historic mission.

Gina Whitt

Thank you so much for helping us fulfill my husband Michael's dream of spaceflight! I couldn't think of a more fitting send-off!

Michele Bonner

"You get to experience what they really wanted..it's an unbelievable experience..."

"It's an incredibly rewarding experiernce we'll take with us for the rest of our lives."

The Wirth Family , New Frontier Flight, Celestis 11

"Made a difficult and trying experience, a delight, a rejoicing..."

Memorial Service , Ad Astra Flight, Celestis 03

Heritage Flight Mission Logo

The American mission patch tradition dates back to the earliest days of human spaceflight when Mercury program crew personalized their spacecraft by naming them. As spaceflight developed over the following decades, it was inevitable that memorial spaceflights would become an integral part of the space age.

Celestis missions are unique, and with each mission patch we honor the mission's participants, their families and friends, and all the other people that make the launch possible. The Heritage Flight mission patch commemorates the lives of those on board the flight and pays tribute to all the men and women in Colorado, California, Texas and Florida who have worked so hard to bring about this historic, Earth orbit mission.

The Heritage Flight mission patch is designed by renowned designer and illustrator Eric Gignac, also co-designer of NASA Space Shuttle mission patches celebrating the STS 128 and 133 missions.

Track Your Loved One In Earth Orbit

Family and friends can track the path of the orbital satellite as it makes its journey around the Earth.